Sunday 4 September 2011

Economic Losses as Air Pollution Effects


Apart from direct health-related and other environmental issues, air pollution brings with it economic losses as well.
Some of the economic losses caused by air pollution are as follows (80):
air pollution effects, downtown Los Angeles smog
Downtown Los Angeles Smog 
Photo: Jami Dwyer
  • Direct medical losses
  • Lost income from being absent from work
  • Decreased productivity
  • Travel time losses due to reduced visibility
  • Losses from repair of damage to buildings
  • Increased costs of cleaning
  • Losses due to damage to crops & plants

For example, experts calculated that California is losing $28 billion every year in health care costs, school absences, missed work and lost income potential from premature deaths, because of air pollution in Southern California and in the San Joaquin Valley. (81)
We can only imagine the economic losses incurred by developing countries such as China, where air pollution levels are among the highest in the world.

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